


Don't They Go Hand-in-Hand?

by starrylitme



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Talentswap (Dangan Ronpa), Bad Ideas, Complicated Relationships, Developing Friendships, Dreams and Nightmares, Island Mode (Dangan Ronpa), M/M, Roleswap, Self-Reflection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-24 21:24:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14363988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrylitme/pseuds/starrylitme
Summary: Hinata is a fanatic luckster who thinks talent is everything. Komaeda is a committed hard worker who couldn't agree less.Their friendship is complicated, to say the least. But it's still a friendship.(talentswap au; written for an art/fic trade)





	Don't They Go Hand-in-Hand?

**Author's Note:**

> If you want more stuff with this au, check out [gaynagitos](http://gaynagitos.tumblr.com) over on tumblr. This was written for a trade, as mentioned! Since I was given pretty free reign, I kinda...went all over the place with this fic, lol. But it was pretty fun to write, at least.
> 
> Yes, the ending is a pretty shameless rip-off of the end of that one beautiful story in the Beautiful Days anthology.
> 
> Please enjoy!

“ _Genius is 1% talent and 99% hard work._ Albert Einstein.”

_That’s definitely a quote I lived by, through and through._

“ _A really great talent finds its happiness in execution._ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.”

_Talent is worthless when wasted on a lazy person. Talent by itself doesn’t mean anything. There’s an old proverb. Even a **fool** has one talent._

“ _Hard work without talent is a shame. But talent without hard work is a tragedy._ Robert Half.”

“And where are you going with this, Komaeda-kun?”

Komaeda takes in a deep breath. In a dark, cold, largely empty room like this, such an action filled his lungs.

“I read a lot of stories. A lot of wonderful stories. Each and every one of those stories were written and published through hard work and perseverance. Talent may have helped in coming up with the words but it was actions that put them on the page.”

_And it was through those actions that they exist. It’s not just because of the talent._

“When I hear people praising talent or saying that people don’t have to work as hard because of their talent, I can’t help but get a little angry,” he said. “ _Talent is nothing but a prolonged period of attention and a shortened period of mental assimilation._ Constantin Stanislavski. It is ironic to be saying that when I am here, at a school that prides itself on talent, but...”

Komaeda’s glare sharpens.

“Talent isn’t what keeps this school afloat, is it? Those talented students can only go so far, right? It’s because of students like me that Hope’s Peak Academy is where it is.”

He can tell, very easily, that such was a displeasing thing to hear. Just from those wrinkled series of scowls. He can’t help but think of sour grapes.

“Why are you here, Komaeda-kun? With how _passionately_ you seem to feel about this...” The word was sneered at him like something disgusting and rotten. “I can’t imagine you’d actually accept the proposal, which in that case...”

“You’ve completely misunderstood me,” Komaeda said, unmoved if not for having to blink back tears as he trembling, nails digging into his lap. “I have every intention of accepting.”

A flurry of murmurs, of glances. Several quirked eyebrows. Komaeda bites down hard enough on his lip to draw blood, but he thinks of _that irritating person_ and his frustration boils up so much that he’s shoved forward by it.

“The truth is, I see the way the world looks to this school and I have to accept that. And I do. I can’t deny this school is the progenitor that leads social change.”

_It’s.  It’s..._

“And I think we can all do so much better. I think this very school could do so much better. Talented people can be so fickle, so wretched, so worthless in spite of what they could do. I think that relying on just them to pave the way to the future is nothing more strategic than flipping several coins and hoping for the best.”

_People like that aren’t always meant to be controlled._

“But if you’re willing to turn talent into something that can be controlled, can be contained, can be utilized to what benefits your needs... I think that’s much smarter and much better than our current state of affairs.”

Komaeda smiles.

“And I’d be happy and honored to give my body and soul to a cause like that.”

* * *

_The way this whole matter started was pretty absurd, but unsurprisingly, things settled down quickly._

“Hey, Komaeda, can you help me with this?”

“Of course!”

_Even in a ridiculous place like this, people fall easily into routine._

“Komaeda-san! I require assistance to carry!”

“Right away!”

_People even when thrown into unpredictable situations can be so predictable._

And the students of Hope’s Peak Academy weren’t any different. Not at all.

“Thanks for your hard work today.”

“No problem!”

After he was given a break, he went outside, wiping off his hands. It was pretty hot out so he stayed tucked away in the shade. Tugging out his handkerchief, Komaeda breathed out, wiping off his brow, leaning back against the wall of the lodge.

A cold soda can was then pressed against his cheek, earning a shudder and a high-pitched yelp.

“C-Cold!”

“U _wah_ ,” someone cooed. “You’re so _jumpy_ , Nagito!”

Scowling, Komaeda turned to glare at the culprit. Said culprit was snickering at him, of course, laughter wheezy. Snatching the soda can out of his hand, Komaeda sighed loudly as he stuffed his handkerchief back into his pocket to open said can.

“I see you’re dicking around as per usual, Hajime.”

“So harsh!” Hinata giggled. “You’re so wound up, Nagito. As wonderful as that is, you definitely need to _chill out_ , too.”

“Don’t punish me,” Komaeda snapped, flustered. Hinata’s eyes lit up. Turning away with a huff, he sipped at his soda. “Thank you, though. For the soda.” A pause. “You did well gathering today, too.”

“You’re so kind, Nagito!” Hinata beamed, blinking at him excitedly. “So...”

Ah. Already knowing what to expect, Komaeda’s mood soured. He bit his tongue as Hinata sucked in his breath, and—

“Do you remember—?”

“ _No_. I don’t.”

He didn’t. Miss. A beat.

Hinata deflates. “No luck today either, huh?”

_Urgh._

“No.” Komaeda shook his head. “It’s not a big deal. This trip is more focused on making friends and collecting hope fragments, remember?”

“It is a big deal!” Hinata argued. “This is your _talent_ we’re talking about!”

**_Urgh!_ **

“I’ll remember when I remember,” Komaeda said, waving his hand and downing the rest of his soda. It stings his throat but he just carries on like nothing’s wrong. “There’s no point in worrying about it. Instead why don’t you focus on chores? Or hope fragments? There are also plenty of other _talents_ to fixate on, y’know.”

He almost sneers the word, and he hadn’t realized it until after the fact. He almost can’t bring himself to look at Hinata’s face, but a sickening cocktail of guilt and frustration wells up in his throat. It’s at times like these that he can’t help but think about just how complicated things are between him and this person and how... _maddening_ it all is.

He doesn’t hate Hinata Hajime. Truth be told, he doesn’t even dislike him. Hinata Hajime is ridiculous, pushy, obnoxious, and _talent-obsessed_ ; all of these are traits that Komaeda _does not care for_ , but. _But..._

“But...” Hinata tilts his head, frowning like a confused child. “You’re the one I’m most interested in, Nagito.”

Just like that, Komaeda falters.

_You really just have no idea, do you?_

“Just because of my talent, right?” he asked. Suddenly, the words started spilling out. “If you just knew about that, you wouldn’t even bother with me, would you?”

Hinata blinks.

“It’s just because of my talent,” he said. He crushes the empty can in his grip. “It’s just because of my talent. It’s just because of my _talent_...!”

“Nagito?”

Hinata really, truly doesn’t seem to understand and that just frustrates Komaeda further, everything boiling over when Hinata reached out to touch his shoulder. Komaeda immediately jerked away from that brush of contact.

“I...” He looks away, unable to meet Hinata’s wide-eyed gaze. He really, really doesn’t want to see whatever stupidly surprised expression this person might be making. “I’m going back to my cabin. E-Excuse me. I’ll be seeing you.”

“...yeah, okay.” It’s like Hinata doesn’t know how to respond at all. It’s almost like he doesn’t even know what’s going on. “See you, Nagito...?”

Komaeda should feel bad. He does. But mostly, he feels relieved. He then nods and hurries off.

He doesn’t look back even as he feels Hinata’s lingering stare.

* * *

He doesn’t dislike Hinata Hajime. By no accounts does this mean that Hinata Hajime does not piss him off. From the beginning, Hinata Hajime  _pissed him off_ .

“Talent is everything,” Hinata had said almost happily. “It forms the foundation of our world, it shapes the structure, it sows the seeds of the future... It’s everything!”

Komaeda had wanted to scream. But, because that would’ve been shitty to do in front of a guy he just met, he instead takes a deep breath, pressing his hands together and channeling his strength,

“No,” he said. “I disagree. Talent is only a part of it.”

Hinata looked at him, and Komaeda pushes on before he can argue.

“Talent isn’t anything without hard work,” he said almost fiercely. “Without hard work, talent is simply a waste so to idolize it above all else is just—just faulty thinking. If we’re talking about actively striving for improvement and progress within society then, then what needs to happen is that people have to _work for it_. If people don’t at least try then nothing gets done! Talent isn’t something that can just kick in whenever, it has to be _applied_ , so. _So_...”

Hinata blinks at him. Komaeda can’t look at him.

“I think I understand,” Hinata replies slowly, and Komaeda immediately perks up. “Even though I have talent, there’s really no benefit for it towards anyone but myself.” With a sigh, Hinata shrugs. “It might as well be useless if this talent of mine can’t directly _help_ anyone.”

_It’s true I have no idea how to categorize luck, but..._

“You can still help people, Hajime,” he found himself mumbling. “After all, I’d be pretty lost if I didn’t have you here to show me around.”

“Aha, really?” Hinata just laughs. “Well, probably. You were panicking so much after we were brought here, Nagito!”

_You don’t have to point that out! Besides, who could even blame me with how ridiculous and insane this whole situation is?!_

“But you’re also an Ultimate!” Hinata exclaimed. “You’d bounce back quickly! See, you have already!” Hinata grins at him. “I wonder if that’s your talent.”

_Do you have to make it about talent?!_

And, yet, Komaeda wasn’t as irritated as he should’ve been. With that low snicker, that crooked grin, the gleaming way Hinata appraised him with bright hazel eyes... He could tell that Hinata was just joking around. Just trying to lighten the mood.

Just trying to help him feel more at ease. About himself. About this situation.

_Hinata Hajime isn’t a bad person._

The thought is almost as frustrating as Hinata Hajime is himself, _but_.

_He’s not a bad person. He..._

Meeting that gaze, Komaeda swallowed as he took in that twist in Hinata’s grin.

_He isn’t someone I can just brush off._

And that thought had remained. Even now.

* * *

_Even now._

Komaeda scrubbed his face almost furiously, sighing loudly as he did and feeling frustrated enough to cry. But he wouldn’t. God fucking hell, he wouldn’t _dare_. Not over something like _this_.

_Hajime means well,_ he reminded himself. _Hajime may be infuriating, obnoxious, and probably a bit of an ass, but he does mean well. That doesn’t justify his behavior, but I can afford to be a little lenient. Things could be worse. Much worse._

Such thoughts didn’t make him feel any better.

**_It’s just...!!_ **

Komaeda grits his teeth and very nearly slams his hands against the sink.

_It’s just because of talent. Stupid, stupid talent. Hajime would be so much better if he just didn’t make things about talent!_

But could he really be that surprised? Hell, could he even really hold that against Hajime? He was a student of _Hope’s Peak_ and to say he resented the school, _well_ —

_It’s true. I resent Hope’s Peak. But I admire it a lot, too. How can I not? Hope’s Peak is a shining point. The foundation that sows the seeds of the future. And, to say its effect on the world is palpable is an understatement. I... I’m proud to go here._

**_...but..._ **

Komaeda leans against the mirror, staring blearily into his dull-eyed reflection.

“If talent didn’t exist,” he murmurs. “If I...didn’t have talent...”

He shook his head furiously, unwilling to even think about it.

_There’s no point! Talent does exist and I’m here right now! I... I..._

He muffled a scream into his towel.

_If I didn’t have talent, Hajime wouldn’t even spare me a second glance! It’s because I do that he..._

He shouldn’t think about it. It’s pointless to think about it. It’s absolutely pointless.

And... _Yet_...

_I just... I don’t want to be defined by my talent. I don’t even remember it! It’s so, so idiotic to just care about my talent when no one even knows what it is!_

“Urgh...”

He almost felt sick.

“Urgh...!”

* * *

“Yooo? Nagitoooo?”

“Uuu...”

He wanted to die. He really, really wanted to just _die_.

“Haha, only you would overexert yourself to the point on contracting a fever,” Hinata remarked almost likely. “Geez, Nagito, you should take it easy. Self-care is one of the most essential things out there.”

Hinata sets out some bottles of juice.

“You’re weirdly sickly, huh?”

Komaeda let out a groan of despair.

“It’s...urgh.” Komaeda winces as Hinata wipes off his brow. “Yeah. I was pretty isolated growing up, I think.”

“You think?” Hinata echoes.

Komaeda remembers it only vaguely, like said memories are distant things he can only observe from afar. Like a distant island an ocean away.

“I think,” he repeats. “I mostly just studied. I don’t think I played with any other kids.”

“Wow, I didn’t have any friends, either!” Hinata chirped, to which Komaeda grimaced. “Mind you, that was probably because of my trash personality, not because of circumstances. That and I wouldn’t want to be friends with anyone even more average than I am...”

_That’s really not something you should say with a smile. Even if it’s not...wrong. Still. **Still.**_

“We’re...” Komaeda hesitated but despite how dizzy he felt, maybe even because of it, he forced himself forward. “We’re _friends_ , aren’t we?”

No response. A long stretch of silence. It wasn’t like Hinata didn’t hear him, or that he did and then proceeded to immediately block it out from his memory.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” Komaeda huffed at him irritably. “You might be really annoying and obnoxious but... It wouldn’t be wrong if I said I considered you my friend, Hajime.”

Hajime blinks at him.

A longer stretch of silence.

“... _excuse_ me?”

Komaeda groaned again.

“Forget it,” he hissed, running his hand down his face in exasperation. “There’s just no getting through to you, huh? You’re so stubborn.”

_...and yet._

Sighing, Komaeda ended up slumping against the sheets and his pillow.

“I actually don’t think you’re hopeless or anything like that,” he said. “I know you’re not a bad person. After all, the reason why you don’t think highly of your talent...is because it can’t be used to help people. Even if I don’t agree with your method of thinking, I’m still pretty sympathetic towards you for that.”

_And the truth is..._

“I don’t know what it is _about_ you, Hajime,” he almost laughed. “Something about you winds me so up that I can’t help but burst sometimes. I get frustrated with other people, but you’re the only one I can really argue with. Everyone else just doesn’t even care, honestly. Isn’t that sad? Our classmates aren’t bad people either, it’s just... They _are_ pretty passive, sometimes.”

_They can be nice but even that’s in a distant sort of way. Some of them are better, of course, but..._

“I don’t feel like I connect with them,” Komaeda murmured. “Not just because of my talent but more in general. But with you, it’s so complicated. I wonder why?”

_I just have no idea._

“... _Uh_. Um.”

Komaeda perked up, noticing vaguely that Hinata was shaking a bit. He can’t help but sigh.

“If you’re not feeling well, you should stay away from me,” he said. “It’d be bad if there were two sick bodies instead of one. Besides, someone needs to pick up the slack while I rest.”

“U-Um...!”

Hinata almost looked like he was about to choke, so Komaeda frowned at him, feverish but still fairly worried.

“Hajime,” he said, lashes lowering. “Are you alright?”

“A-Aha... Haha... Hahaha...! Ahahaha...!” Hinata wheezed almost like a hyena. “I’m fiiiiiine! There’s noooothing to be worried about! Nagito, you, you... You just rest up, alright?!”

He pulled the covers up, clumsily tucking Komaeda in.

“Yeah, yeah,” Hinata nods rapidly. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Just rest up. I-It’ll be fiiiine. Just focus on getting better, alright? D-Don’t even worry about a guy like me! Yeah... Yeah...”

“Mm...” Honestly, just trying to keep his eyes open and just trying to focus was starting to get far, far too exhausting. “Okay. Just...you take care of yourself, too, Hajime.”

“H-Haha! Hahaha! Yeah, yeah!”

_That’s a pretty desperate sound of agreement._

But he was too tired to really think further on the matter—so he just let his eyes fall shut so that he could rest. It was a little difficult with Hinata vibrating the way he was, but somehow, somehow he managed.

* * *

When he opens his eyes, he finds himself in a dark room, blankly staring down a committee of faceless nobodies. He blinks once. Twice.

He finds himself on a boat, mindlessly rocking along with the waves. Hinata, too, swayed excitedly with the motions. Hinata giggled at him, in fact, and Komaeda had felt...cold. Simply cold. Nothing else.

Except perhaps irritated with how long his hair was.

And then, and then.

_“It must be nice to have rich parents, huh?”_

_“You don’t even have to work hard.”_

_“Urgh, it just makes me sick.”_

_“It is pretty sickening.”_

_“It’s so pitiful._

_“It’s so **pathetic**.”_

Shut up.

**_Shut up!_ **

Even from a window, he could see them gossiping. He was just trying his best, he was just trying his best—why didn’t people understand that? Why couldn’t they appreciate that?

Even his _parents_ —!

_I don’t just want to stand out—I want to be significant, I want to be significant, I want, I want, I **want** —_

He finds himself standing before Hope’s Peak. _Hope’s_ Peak.

“Hope...” He found himself murmuring. “That’s right... That’s right... Even someone like me...could be a harbinger of hope if...if I just tried hard enough...”

But wasn’t it exhausting? Wasn’t it too much? Didn’t trying and trying and trying and trying just get so, so— _boring_?

“...boring...so...boring...”

Komaeda at last finds himself swallowed up in that dark room by that faceless committee.

* * *

He fades in and out and consciousness.

And occasionally, he’s made aware of the fact that Hinata is watching over him, wiping him down with almost a singular focus and then replacing the ice bag when necessary. He’s being helped, of course, but Komaeda just can’t—make out the other person’s face... He can only take in Hinata.

How funny that is.

How very, very funny.

_Hah... I... I really am hopeless._

“...just rest, Nagito...” Hinata’s volume is barely above a whisper. And drearily, Komaeda can only listen and obey.

_I really, really am hopeless..._

* * *

_Hajime, if talent didn’t exist... I wonder if you’d be a kinder person._

He imagined it, actually. Hinata with that carefree grin of his without every twitch that accompanied the word talent.

_I wonder if you’d be a happier person._

Hinata talking and joking with him about mundane occurrences, about such dull, ordinary things that the details didn’t matter at all.

_I think... I’d really like to be closer to you in a world like that._

Smiling with Hinata. Joking with Hinata. All with such easy normalcy.

_It might be nice... It might actually be..._

And then, Hinata sneered at him.

**“As if someone like _you_ could ever matter at all.”**

* * *

Komaeda wakes up in a cold sweat. He checks his forehead, and his fever has probably gone down, but his heart won’t stop racing.

“...urgh...” Drawing his knees in, he buried his face. “God, what even the hell is wrong with me? And over a guy like _that_...”

_Just because I don’t remember having any actual friends when I grew up...!_

He should stop thinking about it. What did it matter, what did it even matter? His memory was already seriously spotty anyway because none of it _mattered_.

At least, he assumed that was why. But the actual reason didn’t matter.

It’s late. He’s feeling better but he should go back to sleep. Get as much extra rest as he can. He has an entire day of hard work to make out. Just because he’s the only one who cares about stuff like that isn’t an excuse to slack off. _Right?_ Right.

Predictably, he can’t make himself fall back asleep for shit.

He looks towards the window, at the slivers of darkness caught between his blinds. There’s a bit of light outside, but it’s from the hotel, not the stars nor the moon. But maybe that wasn’t the case if he actually looked.

Komaeda pushes himself up, and he perks at the juice bottles still sitting innocuously on his bedside table. He takes one and opens it.

It’s cold thanks to the air conditioning in his cabin. Mostly, it’s just damp with moisture. He’ll have to wipe off his table later. Probably.

Komaeda drinks and the juice is very, very sweet.

“Ah...” He swallows down another gulp. “Mm...”

_Maybe I’ll feel better if I get some fresh air._

He finishes the juice, tosses the bottle appropriately, and gets dressed to do just that.

_Just for a little bit. At least until I start feeling at least a little drowsy._

* * *

He ends up walking quite a bit. Predictably, things are super quiet at night on Jabberwock. Despite that, areas are still lit up as though prepared for anyone to potentially show up, regardless of the hour. The market wasn’t a surprise—he figured that would be open 24 hours, 7 days a week.

_Would it stay this way after we all leave? Come to think of it, this is...still pretty weird, no matter how you look at it._

But no one else really cared anymore. So he should stop dwelling on it. So it goes.

The ocean is especially dark and mysterious at night. But also more restless, tides tugged along by the moon above, the surface only capturing mere fragments of the stars’ glitter.

Something like that. Idly he wonders what would happen if he just steps off the bridge. He doesn’t. He keeps on walking.

I’m still too awake for all this.

He finds himself at Jabberwock park, staring at the statue piercing the heavens and—

“...Oh.”

“O-Oh. H- _Hey_!”

Hinata almost startles from where he’s crouched by the statue, grinning nervously and wiping his clammy hands against his pants.

“Nagito...!” He frowns. “Should you really be up and about? Is that really okay? Weren’t you sick?”

“I’m feeling better,” Komaeda replied. “I just thought I’d get some fresh air, maybe go on a walk...”

“This late at night?” Hinata’s brow furrows. “That’s dangerous, y’know, what if you stumbled across some weirdo doing weird things?”

Komaeda blinked at him.

_Speaking of that._

“...what were you doing anyway, Hajime?”

“Oh, this?” Hinata gestured to the statue. “I wanted to see if there were any secret passageways. Maybe to like, treasure or something. Or someplace else. In the games and stuff, wouldn’t this statue be one such place? So, uh, I’m really curious about it. And, well, if I messed with it during the day, I’d probably get yelled at, heheh.”

“Uhuh.”

_I’m pretty sure you’re going to get yelled at regardless._

“Actually...” Hinata went on, running his fingers through his hair. “I was too antsy to sleep. Is it the same for you, Nagito?”

Komaeda stiffened briefly but nodded. “Yes, it is. So you can’t sleep either.” A pause. “Do you want to walk together for a bit, then? I don’t really mind.”

He couldn’t see properly in the dark, obviously, but it seemed that the color in Hinata’s cheeks had deepened. All the same, Hinata grinned brightly as always even if it seemed more wobbly than usual.

“U-Uh, yeah, that... That’d be great! I’d be honored!”

“Then let’s go.”

“Y- _Yeah_!”

It’s a cold night out, but Komaeda was sure he felt his face warm.

* * *

All the same, they walked around together. And then, they started talking.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking... Uh... About a couple of days ago...”

“Don’t worry about it,” Komaeda waved his hand quickly. “It’s not a big deal, you don’t have to worry, it was... It was nothing.”

“You’ve got that wrong,” Hinata answered seriously. “It’s not like you to snap like that, so it’s not, there’s _no way_ it’s nothing nor a big deal. So... I wanted to apologize. I clearly pushed you way too much.”

Komaeda dropped his hand, hesitating as he wrung his fingers.

“But don’t worry!” Hinata exclaimed suddenly. “Regardless of what talent it is, I know for sure it’ll be way better than my trash one!” Just like that, Hinata was back to sparkling expectation and clasped hands. “It’s just because I feel so passionately about talents that I got so impatient and pushy but no worries! Not anymore! I’ll see the beauty of your talent blossom when the time is right and that time will surely be _wonderful_! I can’t wait to see your card!”

_...Ah._

“...it’s okay,” Komaeda said. “It’s like what I had said earlier while I was sick. I don’t think you’re hopeless, Hajime.”

Just like that, Hinata jumped back as though he’d been struck with lightning. Flinching as well from the suddenness of it, Komaeda reached towards him.

“Hajime?”

“I-I should get going,” Hinata rambled on. “I’ve, uh, taken enough of your time so I really should...get going. Yeah. Don’t mind me anymore, Nagito. I’ll stop bothering you. Uh. Yeah. Bye.”

Before Komaeda could say anything else, Hinata rushed off, leaving him along and confused.

“Huh?”

_Hey... What even just happened?_

He ended up unable to sleep easy after all and spent a lot of time mulling over everything.

* * *

The next day, Hinata avoided him.

This, in addition to not getting enough sleep last night, really, really annoyed him.

“Oi, Hajime!”

“Excuse me!”

It really, really, really annoyed him.

“Hey, Hajime!”

“Excuse me!”

It really, really, really, incredibly annoyed him.

“Hajime!”

“ _Excuse me_!”

It really incredibly, unbelievably, unbearably, astronomically _annoyed him_.

“HINATA HAJIME, **_YOU STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING RIGHT NOW_**!!!”

Hinata froze like a deer in headlights, giving him the most pitiful, fearful look. His nose was even running a little, it—it really was pretty pathetic. It really, really did. But. _But_.

“Please blow your nose,” Komaeda ended up huffing, shoving his handkerchief into Hinata’s face. Hinata took it, obeyed, and then meekly avoided his gaze. It was honestly hard to watch. “Y’know, I’ve been thinking, too, about just the kind of person I might be.”

“What do you mean, Nagito?” Hinata gave him a nervous smile. “Aha... I don’t...”

“I mean I’ve been thinking...and wondering.” Now he’s getting rather embarrassed. “A-About the kind of talent someone like me would have. And I think. It wouldn’t really deviate from what I’m already prone to...and what I think is important.”

“Y...yeah?”

“S-So my talent might be something like Ultimate Hardworker or Ultimate Helper after all. Or maybe. It’s something more personal like... Ultimate Friend...maybe? Since you’re actually pretty important to me, Hajime. And that’s...yeah.”

Hinata stared at him.

“Y-Yeah,” Komaeda repeated, flustering.

Hinata stared. And stared. And then blew his nose again.

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.” He snorted. “Friend. _Friend_. Yeah. Good one. Real funny. Harhar.”

“I’m being serious!” Komaeda exclaimed, reddening even more with anger. “Hajime, I think we’re more than just friends, we’re comrades striving for the hope of humanity!”

“E-Excuse me?!”

“Maybe you’re a bit misguided and kind of a jerk a lot of the time,” Komaeda went on and only got more passionate. “But you feel just as strongly as I do about the humanity moving forward and doing better! Hajime, I think we can do the world a lot of good together!”

“Where did this even come from?!”

“Let’s be comrades, Hajime!”

“N-Nagito...! Wait, stay back!”

**_Thud!_ **

Just like that, a coconut whacked Hinata on the head, knocking him over.

“U... Urgh.” He rubbed at what would surely be a swelling bump. “That was close...”

“Hajime...!” Komaeda blinked once. Twice. And then he couldn’t help but giggle, reaching out to help him up. “When bad things happen like that... It’s usually because you’re in a really good mood, right?”

“Hah?!” Hinata gawked and yanked himself away. “T-That was just some superstition I made up. D-Don’t look so deeply into things.”

“You _want_ to be comrades, don’t you?” Komaeda asked. “We could be harbingers of hope, Hajime! Doesn’t that sound _wonderful_?”

“Urgh, is this what _I’m_ like?” Hinata turned away, ears red. “Sheesh, no _wonder_...”

“Hajime! Don’t be so cold! That’s no way to treat your comrade!”

“S-Shut up! You just made that up yourself, Nagito!”

Cheerily, Komaeda followed after him, bright with amusement.

“Do you want me to look at that bump for you? I have a first aid kit.”

“I-I’ll get it looked at myself! Don’t worry about it!”

“Ehhhh but why? We’re not just friends we’re _comrades_ after all!”

“Noooo we’re not! W-We’re just...just...!”

“What, what?”

“W-We’re just friends,” Hinata ended up stammering out with a great deal of trouble. “Y... Yeah. So... So don’t go overboard, Nagito. It... It’s too much.”

“Ah.” Komaeda nodded happily, smile all the brighter. “Okay! If you say so!”

“ _Urgh_...”

Komaeda laughed as Hinata flustered even more. Despite those stubborn words, there was an odd twist to Hinata’s lips, almost as if he was trying his damndest not to smile. In the end, Hinata was just pouting over being teased.

_Hajime who can be rather full of himself, who can be incredibly down on himself, who obsesses over talent like nothing else... It wouldn’t surprise me if he was pretty lonely. Still, stubbornness can be as damning as it is unwavering._

That much he could understand. Perhaps, with time, he could understand Hinata Hajime completely. And maybe, with time, Hinata Hajime will be completely open to him. It’ll be a rough road, he’s sure, requiring a lot of patience and hard work to manage.

But for the sake of his friend, it’s patience and hard work that he’s more than willing to give.

_I think things will be just fine, no matter how many ridiculous things this ridiculous situation will throw at us._


End file.
